093 - Bioidentical Hormones / Gene Therapy / Natural Health Product Regulation

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of bioidentical hormones? Plus: a new gene therapy troublingly gets approved by the FDA, and Health Canada finally changes how it regulates natural health products (a little). Block 1: (2:19) Bioidentical hormones: sex hormones, hormone replacement therapy, testosterone replacement therapy, and what “bioidentical hormone” means Block 2: (9:36) Bioidentical hormones: biosimilars, compounding pharmacies, regulation, the all-natural claim, why bioidentical hormones are not safer, and the individualization claim Block 3: (22:17) A controversial new gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy Block 4: (39:32) Health Canada is coming for your vitamins (or not)   * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!   References: 1) Our previous episode on menopause and hormone replacement therapy: https://bodyofevidence.ca/071-menopause-and-psychedelics 2) Our previous episode on testosterone: https://bodyofevidence.ca/028-testosterone-and-bad-food-science 3) Chris’ article on the overprescription of testosterone therapy: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/christopher-labos-many-men-prescribed-testosterone-dont-need-it 4) Jonathan’s article on biosimilars: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/general-science/when-living-things-make-our-drugs-us 5) A recent New England Journal of Medicine study about testosterone safety: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2215025 6) FDA review of compounded products: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/report-limited-fda-survey-compounded-drug-products 7) Report of endometrial cancer in women using compounded hormonal therapy: https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01210.x 8) Jonathan’s article on Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical/controversial-gene-therapy-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy 9) Health Canada’s changes to the regulation of natural health products: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/legislation-guidelines/protecting-canadians-unsafe-drugs-act-vanessa-law-amendments-food-drugs-act.html   It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on the milkmaid myth: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-history/white-lie-heart-vaccine-history 2) Jonathan quoted in TIME magazine about Andrew Huberman: https://time.com/6290594/andrew-hubman-lab-podcast-interview/ 3) Pre-order Chris’ book! http://doescoffeecausecancer.com/